This afternoon, I was heading downtown to check out Ghostbuster’s Day, an event that I learned about through Instagram. NYC’s MTA allows you to still use MetroCard, their new and long overdue OMNY card — or contactless pay through your debit card, smartphone or smartwatch.
I’ve paid for fares through my phone since the inception of OMNY and I haven’t had an issue with it until this afternoon: So, I get on at my regular stop Woodhaven Blvd. I tap my phone, pay and head downstairs to the platform.
I had nine minutes for the next Manhattan-bound R train. I started to really listen to the French psych rock album I started on Spotify and was vibing out when four cops approached me and accused me of hopping the turnstile. Apparently, according to NYPD, a version of the screenshot below isn’t enough proof that I paid my fare.
Four officers with guns surrounded me and another one showed up later — to give me a summons for not paying a fare, that I paid. Considering that they’ve had serious, life threatening incidents on the train, 5 officers are needed for one man and $2.90? $2.90 that I paid? Isn’t
If you live in the area, you know that MTA and NYC have been pushing folks to use OMNY and tap-to-pay. I love tap-to-pay. It’s effortless. I never have to check what’s on my MetroCard or walk — or walk to the subway station to refill a card. But what’s the point of tap-to-pay, if you show it to NYPD officers, who first, don’t believe you and second, act as though paying through Apple Pay is impossible?
All of this patently unfair and seems — well, obviously racist to me. So far, I tweeted at a handful of my local elected, including the Queens Borough President, the Queens District Attorney, the Public Advocate and the Police Commissioner. It’s a Saturday evening, so I don’t expect much of a response right now. But at the moment, I’m rightfully very angry.
I will dispute the summons, if you’re wondering. It may be a warning but it ain’t right.
Honestly, I keep thinking of the fact that could have gone very badly. My old man was a drunk. He got increasingly unpredictable. And like any child of an alcoholic, you can read small signs. There was a point where the whole incident could have gone very badly. My mind keeps going back to that.
